The rapper, 36, got an assist fromSZAon, “Slime You Out,” the second single off his eighth studio album, which is due out Sept. 22 via OVO Sound and Republic Records. It marks the first-ever collaboration between the hip-hop artist (whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham) and the R&B singer (whose real name Solána Imani Rowe), 33.
On the five-minute track, Drake and SZA both criticize childish behavior of ex-lovers and the opposite gender, using Nickelodeon’s “slime” as a metaphor for juvenile habits they’ve seen in past relationships. Drizzy switches between emotional crooning and delivering fierce bars throughout the song, while SZA’s soulful voice soars over the atmospheric track.
“Slimin' you out, I’m slimin' you out, I’m slimin' you out,” they each sing on the chorus.
Both stars began teasing the song on Wednesday. Although neither shared the name of the song at the time, they tagged each other on a post of the promotional single artwork onInstagram, which features a shot of actressHalle Berrycovered in green “slime” at the 2012 NickelodeonKids Choice Awards.
“😳💚,” Drake wrote in the caption of his Instagram. SZA, too,shareda series of emojis on her post: “🤮🤭👀.”
AsBillboardpointed out,fan footagecaptured the “God’s Plan” artist announcing the song’s Friday release date during hisIt’s All a Blur Tourstop in Austin on Monday.
On stage at the Moody Center, the Grammy winner said, “I’m even going to say something tonight in Austin, Texas I haven’t said yet.”
“I know y’all excited to hear the album,” the rapper continued. “I know it’s like two weeks out. I’m a drop a song for y’all this week.”
Drake and SZA.Jerritt Clark/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Jerritt Clark/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Although “Slime You Out” sees the first collaboration from Drake and SZA, it’s not the first time they’ve ever linked up. The two actually dated each other for a period in 2009.
Their relationship became public years later in 2020 when Drake teamed up with21 Savageand Metro Boomin on the song “Mr. Right Now,” on which he rapped the verse, “Yeah, said she wanna f— to some SZA, wait / ‘Cause I used to date SZA back in ‘08."
Shortly after the track dropped, the “Kill Bill” singerconfirmedDrizzy’s claim with aposton X (formerly known on Twitter). “So It was actually 2009 lol … in this case a year of poetic rap license mattered lol," the Grammy winner tweeted. “I think he jus innocently rhymed 08 w wait. Anybody who really knows me and was around during this time can confirm … it’s all love all peace.”
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The “Good Days” artist also opened up about their relationship and current friendship in a 2022interview with Audacy. “We’re cool, we’ve always been cool. It’s never been weird,” she said. “Anytime he’s ever mentioned me, it’s always been positive. He never said anything negative about me, and I’m grateful for that. I think really highly of him … I’m an artist now, I wasn’t then, and he’s King Drake!”
“Slime You Out”follows “Search & Rescue,” the first single offFor All the Dogsthat dropped back in April.
source: people.com
